Changes in PD-1 expression on CD8⁺ T cells in peripheral blood, quality of life and spirituality after Okada Purifying Therapy

Abstract

Objective : Okada Purifying Therapy (OPT) is classified as a type of biofield therapy and is practiced as a health method that enhances natural healing ability. We examined changes in programmed cell death-1 (PD-1) expressed on CD8⁺ T cells, and indexes of quality of life (QOL) and spirituality after the OPT practice.

Methods : We measured the percentage of PD-1^±CD8⁺ T cell of the peripheral blood in 44 healthy subjects who did not regularly receive OPT for 60 minutes daily for 3 months. We also used the 10-item MOA Quality of Life Questionnaire (MQL-10) and the 20-item SKY Spirituality Scale (SS-20) before and after the practice period of OPT in order to evaluate QOL and spirituality.

Results : There was no statistically significant changes in the proportion of PD-1⁺terminally differentiated CD8⁺ T cells after the daily practices of OPT. There were significant better changes of MQL-10 and SS-20 scores.

Discussion and Conclusion : Interpretation of the present results on immunity is difficult because the mechanism and clinical implications of the high PD-1⁺terminally differentiated CD8⁺ T-cell group may be different in cancer patients and healthy subjects in the present study. On the other hand, we found favorable changes in the indexes of QOL and spirituality. We believe it necessary to set up a control group and examine the association and causal relationship of each indicator in the future.